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The Ultimate Guide to the First Steps in Planning a Wedding
By Julia Benda
Photo by Cat McCombs
Getting engaged is so exciting! And then it hits you – Where do you start? Planning your wedding can be one of the most thrilling times and one of the most daunting tasks you ever take on! This wedding guide will give you an idea of where to begin and where you should be heading, and what you can expect while planning your special day.
Consider the Size
Do you want a small wedding with just close friends and family? Or do you and your fiance want a day filled with everyone you know? Making the decision on how big or small your guest list will be will affect many elements of your wedding and give you a basis on what finances will look like. Keep in mind that usually 10-20% of invited guests will not attend. Make a head count spreadsheet to use throughout your planning process with columns for contact information, addresses, RSVP’s, and gift thank yous.
Decide on the date
Deciding on a date can be a tricky thing sometimes because every year is different and other important events in life can conflict with an ideal date. A few things to keep in mind while choosing a date are what the weather or season is like, how this could affect guests from attending or not, if the date conflicts with other obligations, and how much time this date gives you to plan. If planning an outdoor wedding, always have some sort of backup for a rainy or overly hot day.
Book your Venue
The venue is usually your largest expense when planning a wedding. Because there are many things to consider when choosing the reception and ceremony space, decide whether to have separate locations for the ceremony and the reception, factoring in travel time between the two venues. Then look at things like style of venue, costs, services, parking, and availability, keeping in mind that most successful locations are often booked at least a year out. Vendors can often be eager to sign a contract with a couple but be sure to read the fine print and ask specific questions, so you do not run into unexpected costs down the line. A few examples:
- How much would an extra cocktail hour cost?
- What sort of decorations are we allowed/not allowed to have in this venue?
- How many servers can we expect to work our event if we have XXX amount of people attending?
Work out your Budget
Financially, weddings are usually a pricey event. Determine how much money you have to spend on your special day, based on your families’ contributions and your own. To cut down on unnecessary costs, consider making a list of essential expenses and nonessential splurges and figure out ways to make your priorities happen and keep the extra costs limited. Weddings usually follow a budget like this:
- 48-50% — reception
- 10% — flowers
- 8% — attire
- 12% — entertainment
- 10-12% — photography and video
- 3-4% — invites
- 2-3% — gifts
- 7-8% — miscellaneous/unexpected expenses
Hire Must Have Vendors
Photographers, bands and DJ’s, florists, caterer’s and videographers are all an important aspect of the big day and need to be booked as soon as possible since they too are often reserved a year out.
AFTER THE WEDDING
After the wedding it all seems like dream! Couples are usually exhausted with all the details of planning for their big day! It is easy (and understandably so) to want to relax after experiencing these big events. With all the organizing that goes into your actual wedding day, it can be easy to forget the important things that still need to be done AFTER the wedding as well. So here is a list to help you keep track of a few key items you will want to make sure you take care of once your wedding day has come and gone.
Change Your Name
No one says that one or either of you has to change their last name. But if one of you does choose to do so, make it a priority to complete the change across the board. Include these areas to update the name change: driver’s license, passport, insurance, email, post office, payroll, and bank.
Freeze Your cake
Toasting to your one-year anniversary with a slice of wedding cake requires a bit of pre-planning. Ask someone you trust to wrap up a piece or the top tier of your wedding cake and transport the cake back to your home because you do not want to miss out on this long standing tradition on your first anniversary!
Tip Vendors and Write Reviews
If you were happy with your vendors, let others know. The best way to accomplish is to send a personal review to the vendor or post online reviews. Other couples will appreciate your real feedback, and your vendors will love the potential to grow their business.
Have Your Dress Cleaned
Your gorgeous gown deserves love after you have taken it off. If you plan on preserving your dress for years to come, have it cleaned as soon as possible. Stains will set the longer you wait. You can call your bridal dress shop to get recommendations for companies that clean and preserve gowns. Some shops may have discounts on the service that you can purchase when you get your wedding dress. Point out the stains when you mail in your dress so the company can be sure to remove all of them. You can expect to pay $400 – $800+ for the cleaning and preservation process.
Make A Wedding Photo Album
This is one of those things that always gets pushed back. Not only do you have to wait for your wedding photos to come in, but then you have to figure out the best way to make your album once you do schedule a weekend date with your new spouse to choose your favorites and order your album. While you are at it, you can order smaller album version using the same album design for your parents + in-laws through your photographer or if you are creating it on your own through Shutter-fly or other sites. . This is an especially important thing to cross off your to-do list early on if your album was part of your photography package — you do not want to forget about something you already paid for!
Complete Your Wedding Registry
You often have several months after your wedding to take advantage of a registry’s post-wedding completion discount, which is typically around 20%. Now’s the time to purchase more expensive items and complete sets! This offer is usually only good for about 30 days after your wedding. Although, you will want to keep your wedding registry open for at least three months after your wedding for any of those late gift givers. Once that time is over you can safely close it out. So, stock up on those home essentials while the discount is still good!
